GM issues 6 more recalls covering 312,000 vehicles

DETROIT — General Motors is issuing six more recalls totaling more than 312,000 vehicles as the company cleans up past safety issues.

The recalls in North America pushed GM’s total for the year to 66, covering just over 29 million cars and trucks. That beats the company’s old full-year record and has pushed this total number for the industry this year to more than 40 million, also an annual record.

The largest of Friday’s recalls covers 215,243 Saturn Vue SUVs from the 2002 through 2004 model years. GM says keys can be removed when ignitions are not in the “off” position. The problem is linked to two crashes and one injury.

GM is conducting a companywide safety review following a bungled recall of 2.6 million small cars with faulty ignition switches. GM has admitted knowing about the defective switches for at least a decade, yet it didn’t recall the cars until February.

In the recalls announced Friday, GM has told dealers to stop selling some of the vehicles until repairs are made.

Including the Vue recall, GM has called back more than 17.5 million vehicles for ignition switch problems. In many cases the switches can be knocked from the “run” position to “accessory,” shutting off the engine and disabling the power steering, power brakes and air bags.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the U.S. government’s road safety agency, is investigating ignition switches across the auto industry to make sure they can’t be inadvertently moved from the run position.

Dealers will inspect the Vue ignitions and replace the cylinder if needed at no cost to customers. The company says it’s important for drivers to make sure the SUVs are in “Park” before they exit the vehicles.

Other recalls announced Friday include:

— 72,826 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Trax in Canada and Buick Encore cars and SUVs from the 2013 model year. In some of the vehicles, the front lap belts may not lock properly, allowing people to move in a crash. Dealers will replace the belt pretensioners. GM doesn’t know of any crashes, but it has told dealers not to sell the vehicles until repairs are done.

— 15,386 Chevrolet Impalas from 2014 and 2015. On some LT and LTZ models, the front console storage door may not latch properly in a rear crash. Dealers will replace the latch. The company knows of no crashes or injuries, but it’s ordering dealers to hold the cars until repairs can be made.

— 3,624 Cadillac ATS sedans from 2013 and 2014 to fix a problem with front lighting. These cars were all exported from the U.S.

— 3,110 Chevrolet Spark minicars from 2014. Lower control arm bolts in the suspensions may not be tightened to specifications. Owners have been told to have their cars transported to dealerships for inspection and tightening. No crashes reported.

— 2,091 Chevrolet Aveo subcompacts from 2009 and 2010, 2009 Pontiac G3 subcompacts and the 2007 Chevrolet Optra in Canada. A brake fluid issue could lead to longer brake pedal travel and reduced brake performance. GM knows of no crashes or injuries.